Salt Baked Chicken Wings with Rosemary

Posted on January 17, 2016 by missamateurchef

Salt baked chicken is one of the most classic dishes in the Hakka repertoire. The dish is both clever and flavorful. Traditionally it is made by sealing the chicken with a tight cocoon of lotus leaf or parchment paper, which is then baked in scorching coarse salt. Despite the fact that the bird is packed solidly in a thick layer of coarse salt as it cooks, it doesn’t get unbearably salty because the salt doesn’t penetrate the wrapping. The salt coat mainly serves to retain heat and cook the bird evenly.

This week I tried to remake the dish by giving it a western twist – the chicken wings were marinated with cayenne, garlic and lemon zest, before it was baked in my reliable Staub cocotte. The unique cooking method locks in all the flavors and bastes the bird in its very own essence, the chicken turned out juicy and succulent. And once the ceremonious unveiling began, herb-scented steam curled out of the parcel of goodness, filling the room with gratifying aromas. =)

Ingredients (serves 2):

8 chicken wings (mid-joint)
2 egg whites
500g rock salt
Marinade
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cayenne powder
1 tbsp crushed black pepper
Zest from 2 lemons
2 sprigs rosemary (chopped)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 deg C.
Wash chicken wings, pat dry. Mix with marinade.
Wrap the chicken wings with tin foil.
Whisk the egg whites until foams form. Add salt and mix well.
Line a French oven with tin foil. Spread a layer of salt mixture. Put in the chicken wing wrap and cover it with the remaining salt mixture.
Bake the whole French oven for 30mins. Do not cover up the French oven while baking, otherwise the salt mixture cannot be dried, making the chicken very salty.
Smash to remove the salt on the surface. Take out the chicken wings and serve!
Soak the French oven with hot water until the salt melt before washing.

Baked Camembert with Rosemary & Truffle oil

Posted on January 11, 2016 by missamateurchef

Trust me when I say, there is nothing more decadent than this rich, fragrant, creamy wooden box of gooey goodness. In this recipe, my favorite cheese is baked to a pouring consistency and is then served with crusty bread. It is the perfect way to end a long day at work or brace yourself for an afternoon of shopping in the cold. If…that is, it ever gets cold in Hong Kong!

Ingredients:

Camembert, in a box
1/2 garlic clove, thinly sliced
Few rosemary sprigs
2 tsp white wine
1 tsp honey
Drizzle of truffle oil
Pinch of freshly grind black pepper

Directions:

Remove the cheese from the fridge 1 hour before cooking, so that it can come to room temperature.
(otherwise it will take forever to cook)
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Remove any plastic packaging from the cheese and place back in its box, leaving the lid off.
Poke the garlic and rosemary into the holes, pour over the wine and honey, then grind over some black pepper.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the centre of the cheese is melted.
Remove from the oven and leave the Camembert to cool a little before drizzling with the truffle oil.
Serve the bread with the warm cheese for dipping.

Thai Red Curry with Duck and Lychees

Posted on November 16, 2015 by missamateurchef

You know you are a foodie when…
You try to hit every restaurant when it opens, and you have an opinion about all of them. You spend the lion’s share of your hard-earned salary dining out, drinking wine, and shopping at City super. You look up for good restaurants on the fork/ urbanspoon /opentable and mark your mealtime on the itinerary before you travel to a new city. You know what’s important in life, and it is all about saving your food quota for excellent things…

I guess foodie genes run in the family, I was born in a family that appreciates, or, more precisely- celebrates good food. Despite everyone’s busy schedule, we try hard to gather round dinner table to share a meal (and complain about work) at least every week. I have always believed in the power of food to magically create intimacy, conviviality and community. Weekly dinner with my parents is still a ritual that I hold dear and near to my heart after I got married and moved out. Returning home for familiar dishes that I enjoyed as a kid makes me feel connected to the family. Just like any master home cook, my mother rarely uses recipe. Very different from my obsessive, strictly regimented method of cooking, she cooks everything from memory. In my mother’s kitchen, there are no scales, no measurements, yet no mistakes.

She’s never really taught me how to make her signature curry, but here’s my version.

Ingredients:

2 duck legs
2 tbsp light brown sugar
6 tbsp red Thai curry paste
1/2 can coconut milk
2 tbsp fish sauce
50ml of water + 100ml of chicken stock
4 lime leaves
6 cherry tomatoes halved
half can of lychees

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Pierce the duck’s skin all over with a toothpick. (This step allows a well-crisped skin!)
3. Pan-fry the duck legs in an ovenproof pan on low heat for 10-15 mins, turning once, until coloured all over.
4. Remove duck leg from the pan. Add the sugar to the duck fat in the pan and cook until caramelised, then add the curry paste and cook for few mins until fragrant.
5. Stir in the coconut milk, chicken stock and water. Simmer until everything is combined
6. Add the fish sauce, tomatoes and lime leaves.
7. Slip in the duck legs, cover the pan and cook in the oven for 1½ hrs until the duck is tender.
8. Cooked uncovered in the oven for an extra 30mins.
9. Place the pan back on the heat, add the lychee and simmer for 2 mins.

Crème brûlée au foie gras

Posted on November 9, 2015 by missamateurchef

“Amélie Poulain cultive un goût particulier pour les tous petits plaisirs. Elle aime plonger sa main au plus profond d’un sac de grain… briser la croûte des crèmes brûlées avec la pointe de la petite cuillère… et faire des ricochets sur le Canal Saint-Martin…“

Translate as: Amélie is simple; she has devoted herself to simple pleasures, such as cracking crème brûlée with a teaspoon, going for walks in the Paris sunshine, skipping stones across St. Martin’s Canal…

Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain happens to be my favorite movie. It is a film so original, so funny, and so warm that it made my heart smile. It is heart-warming, not in the phony Hollywood movie sense; but in the sense of how good you feel when laughing with a dear, dear friend.

You may wonder what my favorite movie has to do with a cooking blog… Well, a memorable thing about Amélie is that she likes cracking the caramelized sugar crust on the top of crème brûlée with the back of a tiny spoon. Breaking into the top of crème brûlée truly is wonderful, from the sound of the cracking to the textural contrast between the thick, crusty sugar shell and the delicate, smooth custard underneath.

While I adore the classic crème brûlée, I’ve decided to be adventurous and create a savory version this time, as an homage to the lovely, curious lead character. The luscious foie gras complements the silky custard, with the sugar coat together they create a sublime contrast: each bite, crunchy and smooth, toasty and lush, is a revelation.

Crème brûlée is an awesome canvas to let your imagination run wild. I have seen interesting variations made with coffee, lavender, ginger, parmesan cheese… Hope you all have fun with your food experiments! And by all means don’t be afraid of trying something new!

Ingredients

150g duck foie gras (I use Rougie bloc de foie gras)
3 egg yolks
15ml milk
150g whipping cream
Half cup of white sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Direction

Preheat the oven to 100 deg C.
In a mixing bowl, cut the foie gras into pieces. Add the whipping cream.
Add in milk and egg yolks.
Season with salt, pepper.
Combine with a hand mixer until the mixture is homogenous.
Place the ramekins into a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. (this water bath with prevent cracks in the custard)
Bake at 100°C for 40-45 minutes, until the mixture is softly set.

(Gently sway the ramekins and if the crème brûlées are ready, they will wobble a bit like a jelly in the middle. Don’t let them get too firm.)

Lift the ramekins out of the roasting pan with oven gloves and allow them to cool at room temperature for 30min.
Put in the fridge to cool completely, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Sift a generous amount of sugar evenly over custard. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top.
Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Linguini with Clams and Garlic Butter Sauce

Posted on October 27, 2015 by missamateurchef

Sigh! Looks like we are having a rainy (Halloween) weekend =(
With the bad weather dampening the spirits, I’m in the mood for a flavorful dinner.

This is the perfect recipe for one of those lazy days, you don’t have to think about it and it still guarantees a great dish.
You simply have to mix garlic butter, white wine and clams together and pour everything over the pasta. The linguini will soak up the clam broth and flavor, this light sauce also compliments angel hair.

Well I guess gloomy weather doesn’t always have to be depressing or mind numbing. Sometimes I just can’t find anything more soothing than a good movie night, with the rain splashing down on my windows, lights low, candles lit, dinner ready and a rom-com movie just about to begin…

Ingredients (serving for 2):

0.5 lb dried linguine
24 littleneck clams
4 tbs crushed garlic
4tbs white wine
Pinch of parsley leaves and red pepper flakes for garnish

For garlic butter (4tbs)

1 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

Directions:
Garlic butter
1. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic and parmesan cheese.
2. Season with garlic salt, Italian seasoning, pepper and paprika. Mix until smooth.

Pasta
1. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente.
2. Steam 24 littleneck clams and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, melt garlic butter over medium-low heat.
4. Add crushed garlic and then wine.
5. When butter starts to bubble, add clams and mix around until clams are well coated.
6. Place pasta in a serving bowl, and top with the clam mixture.
7. Garnish with Parmesan, parsley and crushed red pepper flakes.

Steamed Clams with Chorizo

Posted on August 1, 2015 by missamateurchef

Summer has always been my favorite season since I was a kid. During the year, the slight thought of summer instantly has me imagining the beach, tan skin (more like a ghastly white complexion with a few more freckles for me), and having no cares in the world. I still love summer a lot even though I no longer have summer vacation as an adult. When I list all of the reasons I love about Summer- beach days, a gateway or two, a wardrobe full of colorful, breezy sundresses… there is one very important fact that I cannot skip: FOOD!!

Summer is so much more than sipping Rosé and binge eating on ice cream. It is the season when harvest is at its peak- the zucchinis are plentiful, berries are everywhere and peaches are starting to ripen. It’s at this moment that you should be running to the kitchen to take advantage of the most bountiful time of year.

Clams are a great summer treat. Sunshine and a glass of chilled white wine are great partners for their delicate flavor. While clams with herbed cream are the classic combo, I prefer them cooked the Spanish way. The spicy kick of chorizo always wakes up my slumbering taste buds in the hot summer weather.

Ingredients (serving for 2):

4tbs olive oil
200 gram Spanish chorizo, sliced
Half an onion, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 dried hot chili, broken up
3/4 cups white wine
30 littleneck clams
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo, cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the oil is colored.
2. Add the onions and cook until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
3. Next, add the garlic, paprika and crushed chili, cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Add the clams into the broth. Cover and cook until the clams open up, 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Discard any clams that don’t open up.
6. Turn off the heat; add the lemon juice, chopped herbs and black pepper.
7. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the delicious broth!

Stilton Pork Melts with Caramelised Apples

Posted on July 19, 2015 by missamateurchef

France and Britain, having engaged in rivaling relationship for centuries, have near-identical levels of national wealth, population, and historical swagger. But when it comes to food…. The French raised cuisine to a high art, while Britain- just across the channel, has had such a poor reputation for food until recently.

French cuisine may be my all-time favorite. But I always turn to British comfort food when I have a rough day at work… scotch eggs, bangers and mash, sticky toffee pudding and the list goes on. Heartwarming, filling and satisfying, they are always there ready to give me a cuddle when I need it most.

Stilton pork melts – a classic British delight, can also be made with any kind of blue cheese on top of pork chop with a spread of Apple sauce in between. Here I replaced the apple sauce with caramelized apples, using the leftover apples I had from making chicken Normandy. The blue cheese adds a mellow depth of tangy flavor and sophistication to the dish. It brings together the tender pork and the sweet, sticky apple pieces, fusing them to create an incredible depth of flavour.

Let’s not lose hope in Brit food… as once said by a handsome prime minister – Britain may be a small country but it’s a great one. The country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter. David Beckham’s right foot…

Ingredients:

2 two-inch bone-in pork chops (I used iberico this time)
100g Stilton or other blue cheese
pinch of pepper and garlic salts for seasoning
caramelised apples
1 tablespoon of butter
3 tablespoon of sugar
1 apple cored and sliced
pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 220 deg c.
Season the chops on both sides with a good sprinkling of garlic salt and pepper.
Heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan, cook pork chops on both sides until they are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Put the seared chops in the oven, cook for 20 min more. (the cooking time depends hugely on the thickness of the chop, do not hesitate to ask your butcher for advice =p that’s what i do all the time!)
Start preparing for the caramelised apples for the time being. Peel and core apples. Slice into 1/4″ wedges.
Melt butter and sugar over low-medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is bubbly, about 1 minute. Add apples and cinnamon and cook over medium heat until soft and tender, for approximately 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Spread a generous layer of stilton cheese on each chop, return to the oven to cook for further 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
Transfer the cooked pork chops and caramelised apples to a plate, let the chops rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Melt-in-your-mouth baby ribs!

Posted on July 16, 2015 by missamateurchef

I always feel hesitated to make ribs at home as it is kind of intimidating to handle such a big chunk of meat. Plus most of the ribs I order in restaurant are overcooked and dry.

My worries ward off after trying this simple recipe, where the ribs were wrapped in foil and then slow- braised to contain heat and moisture, finished with a cooked-on glaze in the end. It only took a few ingredients but the result was… absolutely fall-off-the-bone tender!

Who said you had to slave away in the kitchen to be a domestic goddess?

Let the oven do all the dirty work and spend your time on something more important… (like online shopping!)

Ingredients (serving for 2):

2 lbs pork ribs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cups of your favorite premade barbecue sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 150 degrees c.
Mix together the sugar and spices to make the dry rub.
Generously apply dry rub to ribs on all sides.
Lay ribs on the foil, roll and seal edges tightly
Bake for 3 hours until meat is starting to shrink away from the bone.
Remove from oven.
Brush on sauce on all sides.
Return ribs to the oven and bake uncovered (meat side up) at 180 deg for another 15- 20 min or until there is bubbling of the sauce.

Authentic homemade crab cakes

Posted on July 11, 2015 by missamateurchef

Meeting boyfriend’s parents for the first time is surely a daunting experience, while meeting your boyfriend’s best buds can be as tricky. I have dated my husband long enough to have forgotten how the experience felt like and I’m blessed to have become friends with most of them over the years.

Somehow I can still remember vividly the first time meeting D, whom my husband often referred as multitalented- DJ, chef (who has worked in nearly all the top notched restaurants in town) and committed gourmet. When we first met 8 years ago, instead of the awkward silence for new acquaintances, he started his unapologetic talk on pasta and their different sauces… I knew we would be friends instantly!

Last night while I was patting my crab cakes in the kitchen and wondering how the two of us can finish a dozen of crab cakes, D called my husband. 1hr later he came to our rescue -with a 21 year old Japanese whisky in hand!

Moist and flavorful, crab cakes are perfect as appetizer, lunch, or light dinner! I can eat them on a sandwich, between crackers or just plain with my favorite sriracha mayo!

As Julia Child said, “It’s fun to get together and have something good to eat at least once a day. That’s what human life is all about — enjoying things.”

D left the whisky at our place afterwards, for that I’m sure we will be having him with us a lot more in the future!

Serving: 10-12 palm sized crab cakes

Ingredients:

1pound canned crabmeat
1/2 cup crushed Ritz cracker
2 spring onions ( using both the green and white portions), finely chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 egg
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon salt
Flour, for dusting
Oil for frying
Favorite dipping sauce (sriracha mayonnaise for me)

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and oil.
Mould into patties and then dust with flour.
Cover and refrigerate for half an hour
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, another 4 minutes
Serve warm with preferred sauce.

Poulet à la normande

Posted on July 7, 2015 by missamateurchef

Most probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word Normandy is the D-Day landing and the beaches where thousands of soldiers lost their lives during the Second World War. You may even recall images of Tom Hanks rescuing Matt Daman if you happen to have seen the blockbuster Saving Private Ryan like me.

Normandy and Brittany of Northern France have always been on my travel bucket list- breathtaking views, beautiful villages, a great history… not to mention the great food…The lush green pastures of Normandy makes ideal grazing for dairy herds and cattle. No wonder it is often referred as the heartland of French dairy products; it is at the same time a major cider-producing region in France.

“Fier d’ être français, et puis fier de ma region” – proud to be French, and then proud of my region, is a common French saying.

That is also what I like about French food, each region bears its own distinctive cuisine, heavily influenced by the region’s history and culture, accomplished with pride using the finest local ingredients.

Poulet à la normande or Chicken Normandy is a dish you can never, ever go wrong with. Made with Normandy’s famous produce- apple, cider and free range chicken, it is truly hearty and flavorful.

As ordinary working class people, we don’t get to travel around the year. But “exotic” food always serves as solace to my wandering heart and helps me get through until my next vacation.

* special thanks to my colleague… lemme just call her “cool mom A” here (simply love her personal style and all her shoes!) for helping me with the photo editing… she really worked wonders to my dishes and i just can’t thank her enough =)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
One cup of bacon lardons bacon
A whole chicken/ 4 drumsticks (marinate overnight with salt and pepper)
200ml dry cider
200ml chicken stock
Half cup fresh cream
2 apples, cored and sliced
Parsley as garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes until brown.
3. Then add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, then set aside.
4. Use the remaining oil to brown the chicken. Turn regularly, pressing down on each side.
5. Put the onion and bacon in a dutch oven, then put the chicken on top.
6. Add the cider and stock. Cover with lid and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
7. Add apples and cook uncovered for another 20 minutes
8. Stir in the cream and sprinkle over the parsley.